Heating Device for the Manufacture of Golf Clubs

ABSTRACT

A heating apparatus ( 20 ) and method for heating golf clubs ( 30 ) during assembly is disclosed herein. The heating apparatus ( 20 ) preferably includes a frame ( 22 ), a club retention mechanism ( 24 ), a rotating mechanism ( 26 ) and a heating mechanism ( 28 ). The heating apparatus ( 20 ) is used to cure an adhesive to bond a shaft ( 34 ) to a golf club head ( 32 ).

CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 10/904,004, which was filed on Oct. 19, 2004.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT NotApplicable BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention generally relates to heating devices for use inthe manufacture of golf clubs. More specifically, the present inventionrelates to a heating device for curing epoxy used to adhere a shaft to agolf club head.

2. Description of the Related Art

The attachment of a shaft to a golf club head requires securing theshaft to the golf club head in a manner that can withstand thetremendous forces exerted during swinging and impact with a golf ball.The attachment mechanism could encompass compressive forces, chemicaladhesion and/or mechanical means. One preferred manner for attaching ashaft to a golf club head is using an epoxy to secure the shaft within ahosel. This attachment procedure is usually performed manually, with anoperator overcoating a tip end of the shaft with epoxy, and theninserting the shaft into the hosel wherein excess epoxy (2 to 4 grams)is flushed onto the golf club head. In a golf club head with athrough-bore, the tip end of the shaft extends through the bore in thesole of the golf club head and is cut during the assembly process. Thisattachment procedure typically requires heating the golf club in an ovenfor two hours to cure the epoxy and secure the shaft to the golf clubhead.

During the curing period, a series of golf clubs move on a rack throughthe oven. The entire oven is maintained at a set temperature that willcure the epoxy within a couple of hours. The ovens typically operate ata temperature ranging from 100° F. to 190° F. The size of the ovens mayvary from several hundred square feet of floor space to thousands ofsquare feet of floor space. The ovens have a mass typically ranging4,000 to 6,000 pounds. Such ovens occupy large amounts of floor space ina factory and use excessive amounts of energy to heat the entireenclosed volume of the oven. Thus, there is a need for an improvement inthe curing of epoxy when attaching a shaft to a golf club head.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One aspect of the present invention is a heating apparatus for themanufacture of golf clubs. The heating apparatus includes a frame, aclub retention mechanism within the frame, a rotating mechanism forrotating the club retention mechanism, and a heating mechanism forgenerating heat within the frame.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for manufacturinggolf clubs. The method includes placing a plurality of golf clubs on aclub retention mechanism. Next, the club retention mechanism is rotatedin a circular manner about a central axis. Each of the plurality of golfclubs is then heated at a specific location as it rotates with the clubretention mechanism about the central axis to cure the adhesive andadhere the shaft to the golf club head.

Yet another aspect of the present invention is a heating apparatus forthe manufacture of golf clubs. The heating mechanism includes a frame,means for retaining a plurality of clubs within the frame, means forrotating the plurality of clubs within the frame, and means for heatingeach of the plurality of golf clubs within the frame.

Having briefly described the present invention, the above and furtherobjects, features and advantages thereof will be recognized by thoseskilled in the pertinent art from the following detailed description ofthe invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an apparatus of the presentinvention with golf clubs.

FIG. 2 is an isolated view of components of the apparatus of FIG. 1 withgolf clubs.

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of components of the apparatus of the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a top view of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a front view of the apparatus of FIG. 4.

FIG. 7 is a top perspective view of an apparatus of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As illustrated in FIGS. 1-7, a heating apparatus of the presentinvention is generally designated 20. The heating apparatus 20 isutilized to heat partially finished golf clubs 30 in order to cure anadhesive to adhere a golf club head 32 to a shaft 34. The heatingapparatus 20 preferably includes a frame 22, a club retention mechanism24, a rotating mechanism 26 and a heating mechanism 28.

In practice a multitude of golf clubs 30, preferably ranging from 10 to60 and more preferably from 20 to 40, are positioned within the clubretention mechanism 24 of the heating apparatus 20. The golf clubs 30preferably have an adhesive, such as an epoxy, applied to a tip end 36of the shaft 34. The tip end 36 of the shaft is placed within a hosel 40of the golf club head 32, which may also be coated with the adhesive.The application of heat to the adhesive bonds the tip end 36 of theshaft 34 to the hosel 40 of the golf club head 32. The heating apparatus20 may be utilized for woods, irons and putters. As explained in greaterdetail below, the heating apparatus 20 is able to perform the adhesionprocess in a more efficient manner than the prior art.

The club retention mechanism 24 preferably comprises an upper indexplate 50 and a lower index plate 52. A bolt assembly 54 is preferablyused to connect the upper index plate 50 and the lower index plate 52.The upper index plate 50 is preferably flat and composed of a metalmaterial, such as stainless steel or aluminum. Alternatively, the upperindex plate 50 may be composed of wood or medium density fiberboard(MDF). The upper index plate 50 preferably has a plurality of slots 55located along an edge 57 thereof. The number of slots 55 preferablyranges from 10 to 60, more preferably from 20 to 40, and most preferably30. The lower index plate 52 is also preferably flat and composed of ametal material, such as stainless steel or aluminum, or a wood material,such as MDF. The lower index plate 52 preferably has a plurality ofslots 56 located along an edge 58 of the lower index plate 52. Thenumber of slots 56 preferably ranges from 10 to 60, more preferably from20 to 40, and most preferably 30. Generally, the number of slots 55 inthe upper index plate 50 equals the number of slots 56 in the lowerindex plate 52. In a preferred embodiment, the upper index plate 50 hasa diameter that is less than the diameter of the lower index plate 52.

In practice, the butt end 38 of the shaft 34 of each golf club 30 isplaced within a slot 55 of the upper index plate 55. A grip 37 ispreferably attached to the butt end 38, however, the heating process mayoccur without the grip 37. The tip end 36 of the shaft 34 of each golfclub 30 is placed within a corresponding slot 56 of the lower indexplate 52. The shaft 34 is placed within the slot 56 slightly above thehosel 40 of the golf club head 32. In a preferred embodiment the clubretention mechanism 24 supports thirty golf clubs 30, with the golfclubs 30 spaced at intervals of twelve degrees. In an alternativeembodiment the club retention mechanism 24 supports forty golf clubs 30,with the golf clubs 30 spaced at intervals of nine degrees. In yetanother alternative embodiment the club retention mechanism 24 supportstwenty golf clubs 30, with the golf clubs 30 spaced at intervals ofeighteen degrees. The club retention mechanism 24 maintains the golfclubs 30 within the heating apparatus 20 during the heating process.

The rotation mechanism 26 preferably includes a turntable 60 and a gearmotor 62. Additionally, the rotation mechanism 26 preferably includes adrive wheel 64 and a sub-plate 65 with a cam follower 66. In operation,the rotation mechanism 26 rotates the golf clubs 30 and the clubretention mechanism 24 about a central axis 70 of the heating apparatus20. The rotation mechanism 26 preferably rotates the golf clubs 30 at aspeed of one revolution per five minutes to one revolution per twentyminutes, and more preferably at one revolution per ten minutes to onerevolution per fifteen minutes. The gear motor 62, which is preferablypowered by electricity, drives the turntable 60. The turntable 60 ispreferably a flat circular sheet onto which the golf clubs 30 rests. Asthe turntable 60 rotates, the golf clubs 30 rotate about the centralaxis 70. In a most preferred embodiment, the gear motor 62 drives thedrive wheel 64 which drives the turntable 60.

The heating mechanism 28 preferably includes a heater 72, a heatingshroud 73, an annular wall 74 and a heat duct 75. Preferably, theannular wall 74 has a plurality of apertures 76 for flowing the heatfrom the heater 72 onto a specific location of the golf clubs 30. Thenumber of apertures 76 preferably corresponds to the number of slots 56and 57 in the upper and lower plates 50 and 52, respectively. Theheating mechanism 28 also preferably includes an air-break member 77 forblocking heat at certain locations. The temperature generated by theheater 72 preferably ranges from 100° F. to 400° F., more preferablyfrom 200° F. to 300° F., and is most preferably approximately 240° F.The heat generated by the heater 72 flows through the heat duct 75 intoa space defined by the annular wall 74, the lower index plate 52 and theturntable 60. The heat flows from this space through each of theplurality of apertures 76 and is directed at a specific location on thegolf clubs 30 to heat the adhesive and bond the shaft 34 to the golfclub head 32. The heating shroud 73 retains the heat within a definedspace in order to conserve heat. The air-break member 77 prevents theflow of heat through a multitude of apertures 76, preferably rangingfrom four to fifteen apertures, and more preferably eight apertures. Theheating shroud 73 is preferably semi-circular with an opening 78. Theheating shroud 73 preferably extends around 50% to 90% of the annularwall 74, more preferably 60% to 80% of the annular wall 74. The heatingshroud 73 is preferably composed of a heat resistant metal material suchas steel. The heating shroud 73 preferably has a side wall 73 a and atop wall 73 b. The heating shroud 73 allows the heat to be directed onlywhere it is needed, as opposed to the prior art which heated the entiregolf club in a huge chamber.

The frame 22 preferably includes a skeletal structure 86, a tabletop 80and a base 82. The skeletal structure 86 is preferably composed ofstainless steel or a similar material. The frame 22 also preferablyincludes a plurality of windows 84. Preferably, the windows 84 arecomposed of a polycarbonate material and are preferably transparent. Acontrol panel 85 is also located on the frame 22. The tabletop 80provides a platform for the upper components of the heating apparatus 20and the base 82 provides a platform for the lower components of theheating apparatus 20. The frame 22 preferably has a width that equalsits length, and a height that is greater than the width. In a mostpreferred, the width and length preferably range from 40 inches to 60inches, and most preferably 51 inches, and the height preferably rangesfrom 60 inches to 100 inches, more preferably from 70 inches to 90inches, and most preferably 84 inches. The mass of the heating apparatus20 preferably ranges from 200 pounds to 1000 pounds, more preferablyfrom 400 pounds to 600 pounds, and most preferably 500 pounds. Ascompared to the prior art, the heating apparatus 20 of the presentinvention occupies less space, uses less energy, has a lower mass, andcan perform the curing process faster.

From the foregoing it is believed that those skilled in the pertinentart will recognize the meritorious advancement of this invention andwill readily understand that while the present invention has beendescribed in association with a preferred embodiment thereof, and otherembodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings, numerous changes,modifications and substitutions of equivalents may be made thereinwithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention which isintended to be unlimited by the foregoing except as may appear in thefollowing appended claims. Therefore, the embodiments of the inventionin which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined inthe following appended claims.

1. A method for manufacturing golf clubs, the method comprising: placinga plurality of golf clubs on a club retention mechanism, each of theplurality of golf clubs comprising a golf club head with a hosel, ashaft positioned within the hosel, and an adhesive to adhere the shaftto the golf club head; rotating the club retention mechanism in acircular manner about a central axis; and heating each of the pluralityof golf clubs positioned on the club retention mechanism while rotatingabout the central axis to cure the adhesive and adhere the shaft to thegolf club head.
 2. The method according to claim 1 wherein heating eachof the plurality of golf clubs comprises generating heat from a heaterand flowing the heat through a heating duct and through a plurality ofapertures within an annular wall to flow onto each of the plurality ofgolf clubs on the club retention mechanism.
 3. The method according toclaim 2 wherein the heat generated from the heater has a temperatureranging from 100° F. to 400° F.
 4. The method according to claim 1wherein the club retention mechanism comprises an upper plate having aplurality of slots and a lower plate comprising a plurality of slots. 5.The method according to claim 1 wherein the club retention mechanism isrotated using a rotating mechanism comprises a gear motor, a drive wheelconnected to the gear motor, and a turntable connected to the drivewheel.
 6. The method according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of slotsof the upper plate ranges from 20 to 40 slots and the plurality of slotsof the lower plate ranges from 20 to 40 slots.
 7. The method accordingto claim 4 wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are circularplates, each having a thickness ranging from 0.10 inch to 4.00 inches.8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the plurality of apertures ofthe annular wall ranges from 20 to
 40. 9. The method according to claim1 wherein the club retention mechanism rotates in a range of onerevolution per five minutes to one revolution per twenty minutes. 10.The method according to claim 4 wherein the club retention mechanismfurther comprises a bolt assembly having an upper end and a lower end,the upper plate mounted on the upper end of the bolt assembly and thelower plate mounted on the lower end of the bolt assembly.
 11. Themethod according to claim 10 wherein the bolt assembly has a lengthranging from 20 inches to 60 inches.
 12. The method according to claim 2wherein a heating shroud extends around fifty percent to eighty percentof the annular wall.